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Every day in the United States, an estimated 445 pedestrians seek emergency treatment for traffic-related injuries. In 2013, the most recent year data is available, there were 4,735 pedestrian fatalities and another 66,000 injuries. That’s about one pedestrian death every two hours, and one injury every eight minutes. If you are one of the tens of thousands of pedestrians injured every year as a result of a vehicle-related accident, there are critical steps you should take directly after the event that will help ensure your rights. But, avoiding an accident in the first place should be your focus. Here are some easy-to-follow tips on how to stay safe as a pedestrian.

Never Assume

Just because someone is driving a vehicle doesn’t mean he is paying close attention to the road. Distracted driving habits, including eating and cell phone use, lead to more than 3,300 fatalities a year, many of which involve pedestrians. Other factors, including vehicle blind spots and driver drowsiness, can also play a role in pedestrian-related accidents.

Instead of assuming that a driver can see you, make sure the road is clear before attempting to cross the street. If you’re in a particularly busy area, and waiting for traffic to clear isn’t plausible, make eye contact with any driver in your proximity before crossing the street, even when you have the right of way and are using a crosswalk.

Distracted Walking

Drivers are not the only people who can be distracted when they’re on the go. Pedestrians can be just as easily distracted. When you’re reading a text message, playing a game, or are otherwise engaged with your mobile device, you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings, and just as with a distracted driver, the results can be disastrous. When you are walking, put away your cell phone or tablet. If you must reply to a text, step to the side, out of the way of others, and then respond.

Follow the Law

Jaywalking is not only illegal, but it can be fatal. In fact, pedestrian noncompliance is the leading cause of injuries and fatalities. In 2013, 69% of all pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-intersections compared to 20% of fatalities occurring in an intersection, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The balance of the fatalities occurred in parking lanes, driveways, roadsides, and other locations. When you need to cross the street, use the crosswalk, and never cross against the light.

Special Circumstances

The sidewalk is the safest place for pedestrians. Occasionally, however, you may find yourself in a situation where you have to walk somewhere, but no sidewalk is available. In that instance, walk as far onto the shoulder of the road as possible, and always walk facing traffic. If your back is to traffic, you won’t be able to see oncoming dangers, and you’ll be unable to avoid them.

If you’re walking at night, it is imperative that you wear light, bright, or reflective clothing, and carry a flashlight, even if you plan on staying on the sidewalk. At some point, you may have to cross the street, and if drivers cannot see you, they won’t be able to avoid you.

Pedestrian safety requires vigilance on the part of both the driver and the pedestrian. When you head out for a walk, always follow traffic laws, make sure drivers can see you, and pay attention to your surroundings. When you follow those simple tips, you’ll be increasing the odds that you will reach your destination safely.

When it comes to slip-and-fall accidents, as a business owner, strong preventative measures are the key. You never want to see a customer have an accident due to carelessness and oversight on your part, so consider taking these steps beforehand to making your property the safest it can be for customers and employees alike.

Basically, your property needs to be safe for a “reasonable person,” that is, someone who is taking normal care to avoid danger, and is avoiding obvious obstacles. You as a business owner need to rid the property of any hidden or obvious dangers that could result in a slip and fall. The best thing you can do it to train all employees, especially managers, to be vigilant and to deal with these issues immediately. We’ll walk you through some tips address common causes of slip-and-fall injuries, and what you can do to prevent them.

Tips to Making Your Business Safer

First, consider seasonal hazards. One of the most common times for slip-and-fall injuries is, of course, the winter, when ice and snow make pathways hazardous. So, keep all sidewalks, driveways, ramps and staircases free of slippery ice and snow. In the fall, keep these areas free of fallen leaves, which can be surprisingly slippery as well. Remember that outside areas, if they are on your property, are just as much your responsibility to keep safe as the interior areas are.

Make sure there is no uneven flooring. A normal person isn’t looking down everywhere he or she walks, so if there is an uneven walking surface, broken tiles or other problems, he or she could easily trip and fall.

If anything gets spilled, put up a warning sign, and clean it up quickly. This is very common in restaurants, where even a flying toddler’s drink can create a slippery hazard. It may also come in car-repair businesses, where grease puddles can be especially treacherous. More generally, this can also be a seasonal issue, as wet boots and umbrellas can create hard-to-see puddles.

Keep your property free of clutter. Without realizing, it, employees can often place materials in passageways or, even worse, in stairwells—so train them to keep these areas clear. Not only will this make the property more appealing and easy to navigate, but it will also prevent visitors from bumping into stray boxes or other items and hurting themselves, or falling down stairs. Also make sure that nothing is obstructing an exit pathway.

Put up warning signs beside any elevated surfaces. It may be common sense to be careful on a platform or a ladder, but remember that, as the owner, you’re used to them, whereas new visitors are not; it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Invest in good lighting. It may sound silly, but a dark environment is much more prone to accidents, especially for older people. Besides, better lighting will improve visitors’ overall experience at your business, so it’s well worth your while. Once again, this includes exterior as well as interior lighting.

In 2013, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available, 2.3 million people in the United States were injured as a result of car accidents, and another 32,719 were killed. The leading cause of those accidents was driver error, which can include everything from speeding to unsafe lane changes and distracted driving. Regardless of the reason for a car accident, though, it is a traumatic experience that is often exacerbated when emotions are allowed to take control. However, by remaining calm, pulling to the side of the road, and taking the appropriate steps directly after impact, further injury or loss can be prevented, and you can help expedite the investigation and insurance claim. That way, you can get back to life as you know it that much sooner.

Assess Injuries and Danger

Immediately after the accident, it is critical that you move your car off the road, if possible. Sometimes a vehicle is rendered immobile after a car accident, and if that’s the case use discretion about whether or not to exit the vehicle. If the surrounding traffic makes it too dangerous to get out of the car, remain inside with your seatbelt still fastened. Call 911 for immediate assistance.

If you are able to safely exit the vehicle, and the situation allows for it, do a quick assessment of both your passengers and the passengers in the other vehicle(s). If immediate first aid is required, assist with what you can, but do not attempt to extract injured people, as it may worsen the injuries. The exception to the rule would be if there are liquids leaking from the vehicle, or there is smoke or fire. In such extreme circumstances, use discretion when deciding how much assistance you can safely offer. Once an initial assessment has been made to determine whether or not there are life-threatening injuries or a life threatening situation, move to the side of the road and call 911 if you haven’t already done so.

Take Pictures

Depending on the circumstances in which you find yourself, you may or may not be able to safely take pictures of all involved vehicles. If you can, however, make sure to get shots of the following areas: driver’s and passenger’s sides, front and rear, all corners, and the license plate. In addition, take photos of the surrounding area, including landmarks, buildings, street and traffic signs, accident-related debris, damaged property, and skid marks.

Gather Information

If you and the other driver are able to calmly exchange information, do so. Provide your name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, vehicle registration, and vehicle insurance information. Ask the other driver for the same set of information. Also jot down the make and model of the other vehicle to go along with your photos. Since emotions will be heightened, it will be easy to forget what information is needed, so keep a checklist in your vehicle at all times.

As soon as is reasonable, contact your insurance company with the details of the accident and forward to your agent all of the information you have, including the photos. A final note about exchanging information: never admit fault during the course of the conversation. Allow the police and insurance companies to make that determination.

The period directly following a car accident can be a time of fear, confusion and uncertainty. However, if you remain calm, keep safety in mind at all times, and document the incident thoroughly, you will save time and frustration, and you will be back on the road before you know it.

When a person has been injured, whether physically, emotionally or both, as the result of an act of negligence or wrongdoing, they often choose to retain the services of a personal injury lawyer. These legal professionals are engaged in protecting the rights of injured persons, filing claims and lawsuits, and managing all aspects of recovering compensation.

All personal injury cases hinge upon the legal concept of negligence, which is essentially when a person (or entity) acts or fails to act in a manner that another reasonable person would.

It is a broad concept, but can be applied to countless situations, such as drunk, speeding, reckless or distracted drivers, acts of medical malpractice, unsafe premises, or even dangerous dogs that have been allowed to roam freely. Establishing negligence is the first order of business for the personal injury lawyer, and he or she will review the facts in the case to make a decision about its merits. Some cases of negligence are very clear, and not in question, where others could are far more difficult to resolve.

Most injury cases are settled outside of court, but some must proceed to court when challenged, or when an insurance company will not pay adequate compensation to a victim.

Insurance companies are in the business of making money, and are commercial operations that answer to upper management and shareholders. The bottom line is the profits made by the company. Most people do not fully understand the processes that insurance companies employ when evaluate the value of, and pay out compensation for claims. Initially, an interview with the injured person takes place. Unfortunately, these interviews may have a hidden goal – getting the injured party to admit to some level of responsibility for the injury. Access to medical records is part of the process as well, and your entire medical history will be painstakingly reviewed to find out if there is any condition, illness or other situation that could have made the level of injury worse.

For example, if you had an existing back pain problem, were then hit by another driver, and your back injury was exacerbated, the insurance company could claim you already had a back condition and the accident was not the sole cause of the injuries you sustained. A personal injury lawyer works to protect the injured from these types of strategies, and is very familiar with how to manage requests for information from an insurance adjuster. In many cases, a person who is represented by an injury attorney will recover double or triple the amount in compensation than if the he or she had tried to resolve the case without legal help.

Insurance Companies and Personal Injury Lawyers

Insurance company personnel can often try to deter an injured person from contacting a lawyer, and will say that all that will occur is that some of the settlement money will be lost in legal fees. In fact, a personal injury lawyer takes a set percentage of the final settlement, which if it is far higher than the injured person would have recovered, is still significantly higher in value. How do they do it? They know how to correctly evaluate the long term consequences of the injury upon the person, and how state-specific laws or caps on certain damages can impact the amount sought in a claim or lawsuit.

For serious injuries, it is important that the injured person is adequately compensated. An individual who is facing disabilities, whether physical, mental or both, will be dealing with difficult challenges, and may never be able to work in his or her chosen profession again, or provide the income, love and care to the family as prior to the injury. These are all issues that must be evaluated and given a monetary value. A personal injury lawyer is a professional in this field, and can advise you of the actual value of your injury claim, and then proceed to pursue compensation that is fair. Insurance company personnel, such as defense lawyers, are aware that when a legal professional is on the case there is far less “wiggle room” and a much lower chance of getting an injured person to accept an unfair settlement.

Thanks to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 (OSH Act), employers in the United States are legally required to provide their employees with a safe work environment free from known dangers. The OSH Act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commonly known as OSHA, to set and enforce health and safety standards, and secure workers’ rights in the workplace. Unfortunately, even after the passing of the OSH Act and the creation of OSHA, workplace injuries still occur at an alarming rate.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in excess of 3 million work-related injuries and illnesses were reported by the private industry business sector in 2013. More than half of the reported cases were serious enough to require time off from work, and for many people that means loss of income. If you were injured on the job, would you know your rights? Do you know what recourse you would have to protect your financial and physical health?

Injured Worker’s Rights

Each state has its own workers’ compensation laws, and the rights each state extends to injured employees differ as well. However, there are some commonalities among state laws, including the right to seek medical treatment for your injuries and the right to return to work once a doctor has released you. Some rights surrounding the issue of workers compensation are also somewhat universal. Those include the following:

The right to file an injury claim in workers compensation court without fear of reprisal (or the employer will face severe sanctions).

The right to seek disability compensation when injuries render the employee temporarily or permanently unable to work.

The right to appeal decisions rendered by the employer’s insurance company, the workers compensation court, or the employer himself.

The right to be represented by legal counsel.

The right to refuse certain requests, such as if an employer encourages the injured employee to utilize his personal health insurance to seek treatment.

The right to refuse certain offers, such as a monetary incentive not to file a claim. In fact, that is illegal.

Understanding your rights, and where to turn for help, are critical to getting the assistance you need when you need it. You are your own best advocate when it comes to retaining your rights and securing workers compensation benefits.

What You Should Do

The first step you should take when you’ve been hurt at work is to report the injury to your employer so it can be properly documented. Next, file a workers compensation claim with your state as soon as you are reasonably able to do so. If your employer attempts to dissuade you from filing a claim, your claim is denied, or you believe the result was otherwise unjust, contact a lawyer who specializes in employee’s rights issues because workers compensation is a critical lifeline for those who are injured and unable to work.

Workers Compensation Benefits

Filing a claim for workers compensation benefits allows the injured employee to receive more than just short term financial assistance while he recovers. The benefits also extend to medical care (including emergency care), death benefits (paid to the family), job displacement, or retraining benefits, and even permanent disability benefits if the injury is severe enough that the employee can no longer work.

Most work injuries do not leave the employee permanently disabled, but since more than half of all on-the-job injuries require time off from work, an injury can be financially debilitating nonetheless. If you’ve been injured at work, protect your rights by immediately reporting the injury to your employer, and then follow up by filing a workers compensation claim.

Breaking Bad is popular television series that details the life of fictional character Walter White. White was a high school chemistry teacher who turned to making and selling illegal drugs to pay for his cancer treatments. Anyone who has watched this series is likely familiar with Walter’s lawyer, Saul Goodman.

While it was Saul’s job to keep Walt out of legal trouble he could be seen breaking the law almost as much as Walter did. This was true not only in his work with Walt but in his unscrupulous and profit driven interpretation of what it meant to be an attorney. Often times this meant embezzling money from his clients, wrongly accusing companies money laundering and more.

The myth of the “ambulance-chaser”

Saul embodied the unethical “ambulance-chasing” lawyer that we have all come to recognize in some of our favorite movies and shows, and even advertised on billboards and radio jingles in real life. In television, Saul is good for a laugh; but when you or a loved one has been injured in an accident there is nothing to laugh about. A dedicated, ethical and professional attorney is essential to protect your and your loved ones’ rights.

Facts about personal injury lawyers

If you have been seriously injured in an accident you know that your needs are real. You know that you need professional, ethical and competent representation, not a Hollywood persona, to defend you and your family’s rights during this challenging time.

Fortunately real personal injury lawyers and law firms rarely resemble the Saul Goodman’s of television and the big screen. Because being a personal injury attorney requires an immense amount of education, a sharp mind and a mastery of the law, many talented people are drawn to the profession. Some interesting facts about becoming a personal injury lawyer include:

All personal injury attorneys must complete at least 7 years of university level education beyond high school. This includes 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school.

Many personal lawyers remain active outside their practices in continuing education, community volunteer work and working in non-profit organizations

All personal injury attorneys must subscribe to a common set of ethics outlined by the American Bar Association. Failing to do so may result in an attorney losing their right to practice law.

Common Qualities of Personal Injury Lawyers

Analytical Thinking. Personal injury lawyers must have the ability to use analytical thinking skills to analyze data, facts and all relevant elements of a case.

Social Skills. While a lawyers primary function is to interpret the law and protect the rights of the client, building a strong relationship and solid rapport is essential.

Objective Thinking. A competent attorney must have the ability to step outside any preconceived thoughts he or she might have about a case and think objectively. Considering the facts and data of the case is essential.

Research Skills. Law in general and personal injury law in particular is an ever-changing subject. An attorney needs to be skilled in legal research methods to find relevant laws to their cases.

Public Speaking. Because attorneys are hired by clients to represent them, it is essential that they can communicate in a clear and concise way.

The complexities of personal injury law

A personal injury attorney is responsible for many complex issues regarding their clients’ cases. Also, a personal injury lawyer holds a general responsibility to encourage businesses and workplaces, neighbors and coworkers, drivers and pedestrians to consider their actions before harm has been done to someone else because of the risk of financial compensation. Because of this it is not uncommon for laws to be changed or amended as the result of a personal injury law settlement.

Some examples:

What happens when conditions in the workplace make you sick or injured?

Who pays for medical bills when a texting driver harms a loved one?

Does injury only result from physical harm, or can someone inflict life altering mental anguish upon you or a loved one?

The World without Personal Injury Law

A world without personal injury law and lawyers would be a much more dangerous place. Without personal injury law, we would be at an increased risk of the following:

The manufacturing company you work for can expose you to toxic chemicals

The inattentive neighbor can go without repaving their uneven sidewalk

The insulting and demeaning boss can make workplace comments about your figure

The maker of your children’s toys can put lead in the paint

An employer does not have to give you time off or pay when you have been injured on the job

Personal Injury by the Numbers

In a 2005 study regarding personal injury trials that went to court conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, they found Personal Injury lawyers have a record of success:

Plaintiffs won in more than half (56%) of all general civil trials concluded in state courts

The median final award personal injury cases was $28,000

The median jury awards for product liability trials were 5 times higher in 2005 than in 1992; medical malpractice more than doubled from $280,000 in 1992 to $682,000 in 2005

Decrease in personal injury cases

Despite the widespread prevalence of advertisements for personal injury lawyers and their depiction in mainstream television, personal injury trials have actually been decreasing, according to the BJS:

The total number of tort cases (personal injury) declined by 40% from 1992 to 2005 in the nation’s 75 most populous counties

What Can a Personal Injury Lawyer do for You?

Encourage new laws, statutes and ordinances to be passed for the protection of others

Safeguard clients from insurance companies, other lawsuits, etc.

Reference case law

Interview witnesses

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While personal injury lawyers often receive criticism or are portrayed negatively by the media they play a very important role in our society. Not only do they protect the rights of the injured and their loved ones, they can also be instrumental in encouraging the amendment and changing of laws that help make our world safer to live in.